*PUZZLES *GAMES *COLORING PAGES

Bat Pollinator

Activity Book

Bat Myths and Truths

Myth: Bats are just flying mice. Truth: Bats are not rodents. Bats are classified in their own order of

mammals called Chiroptera, which translates as “hand-wing.”

Myth: All bats have rabies. Truth: All mammals can contract rabies; however the vast majority of bats

do not. Bats that contract the virus die from the disease. Never pick up, handle or play with a bat.

Myth: Bats get tangled in your hair.

Truth: Bats don’t build nests and have little interest in our hair.

Myth: Bats attack people. Truth: Bats are afraid of humans and try to stay away from people

as best they can.

Myth: Bats suck blood. Truth: Only 3 of the more than 1,300 kinds of bats in the world are vampire

bats. And even those don’t “suck” blood, but lap it like a cat laps milk. Vampire bats live in Mexico, Central America and South America.

Myth: Bats are pests.

Truth: Bats are the ones that eat the pests–insects! One insect-eating bat can eat ¾ of their body weight in insects in one night.

Myth: Bats are dirty.

Truth: Bats groom themselves just like cats and are very clean.

Myth: Bats are blind. Truth: All bats can see. Many types of bats have small eyes and use

echolocation to navigate, but they aren’t blind.

Find out more about bats at www.batcon.org

Draw a Picture Bats are the only pollinators of the agave plant. Agaves grow beautiful yellow

flowers and provide juice and sugar. Finish the picture by drawing a mirror image of the bat with the agave plant.

Decode the symbols to find a fun fact about bats. Fill in the blanks with the letter that matches each picture from the box at the bottom of the page.

= A

= F

= L

= R

= V

= B

= G

= O

= S

= W

= E

= I

= P

= T

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BATS GIVE FLOWERS POWER

Connect the dots to create a picture. Start at 1, then 2 and 3.

Connect the Dots Word Search Did you know that 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers? Find and circle the 10 plant words hidden in this puzzle. All these plants rely on bats.

Words may be found across, down and diagonally.

1. Banana

2. Mango

3. Guava

4. Shea

5. Figs

6. Baobab

7. Agave

8. Cashew

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Y G A A V A U G U J

L Q B M G A E H S Q

Y J G A S I J N N M

M Y S Q B V U X G F

M E G X K O Z W D Q

O V I U A N A N A B

M A F T W F W B T S

V G G W E H S A C X

M A M A N G O F R C

B G J X U I P G P O

COLOR BY NUMBER Color Code

1 = Brown 2 = Black 3 = Yellow 4 = Red 5 = Green 6 = Blue

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Mexican long-tongued bats love to drink lots of nectar from agave and saguaro cactus flowers. Help the hungry long-tongued

bat find his flower buffet!

POLLINATOR MAZE

BATVENGER HUNT Solve the crossword using the clues below that describe

characteristics of bat-pollinated flowers.

Across 2. dry ecosystem with lots of sand and cactus 5. strong smell 6. very light-colored Down 1. sweet liquid pollinating bats love 3. opposite of daytime 4. big

2. Look for a flower that is bat-pollinated. Draw it here:

a. Circle two characteristics of a bat-pollinated flower:

Opens in Day Light-colored Opens at Night Dark-colored

b. Flowers make themselves attractive to their pollinators. What would a flower need to attract you to it to make you a “You-Pollinator”? (Example: Smells like cotton candy, colors like pink)

3. Can you find 2 things people use that are products of bat pollination? Draw them here: Which is your favorite?

1. Can you find a pollinating bat? (Hint: look at pictures and videos)

a. How do they gather nectar? (Circle correct answers)

TONGUE PROBOSCIS HAIR FINGERS b. How do they transfer pollen from flower to flower? (Circle the correct answer)

FUR FEATHERS SCALES SUITCASE

BE A BAT HERO SAVE BAT HABITAT

Cross out the word BATS every time you see it in the box. When you reach a letter that does not belong, write it in the circles below to reveal the

secret message. Bats are helpful and they pollinate many things we eat every day.

Circle the items that are pollinated by bats and cross out the items that are not pollinated by bats.

WHICH ONE

DOESN’T BELONG?

DID YOU KNOW? One of the biggest threats to pollinating bats is habitat loss. Their habitat is

made up of their food, water and somewhere to sleep or hide. Development is a major cause of the loss of their habitat.

What do you think would happen if there were less or even no bat pollinators?

What do you think you could do to help bat pollinators?

BANANA

CASHEW PLANT

HONEY

MANGO

CHOCOLATE

GUAVA

WHAT’S THE SECRET MESSAGE?